i gave up on couponing.
it wasn't an executive decision... it just kind of happened.
the main reason is that we don't really eat food that has coupons.
fresh food doesn't have coupons (produce, deli meat, chicken, beef, etc...)
generic brand snacks don't have coupons (crackers, chips, salsa, etc...) and the store brand is almost always cheaper than the name brand even with a coupon. or it turns out to be the same price and i'd rather not waste the time.
most dairy doesn't have coupons (milk, eggs, cream)
the exceptions to my 'no couponing' are... i keep an eye out in the weekly papers for paper products and toiletry coupons because we have brand preferences (i.e. cleaning product, toilet paper, shampoo, razors, etc...) If I'm really on my 'A' game, I try to combine a coupon with a sale price. I do almost all shopping at walmart b/c they'll match other store's prices and I can use my coupon there so then I don't run around town like a crazy lady.
The other exception is once in a while a coupon means a treat like really good ice cream or OJ or coffee or something we're kinda picky about. I'll spot a coupon for some specialty coffee roast and pick that up because it happens to be a dollar cheaper.
One other reason I stopped couponing... it made my grocery list mysteriously longer. I'd be looking at coupons and think, oh yeah, we do need that pasta sauce or those pillsbury crescents. Then I'd forget I bought those b/c I had no recipe for them and... wasted.
I'm sure there is a way to coupon where you save money but it just wasn't workin' for me, so meh, I let it go.
oh, I should mention...I love retail coupons. as in, I hardly ever walk into old navy or kohl's or the gap without a 20% off coupon because you can ALWAYS find them online :) and what's not to love!!
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Friday, September 7, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
painted dressers
I've been toying around with nursery ideas, as I mentioned a couple days ago and one thing I'd like to do is a paint a dresser that will function as a changing table/ storage/ dresser.
These are some fun ones I've seen on the internet in all mytime-wasting research.
These are some fun ones I've seen on the internet in all my
from young house love - stained a $30 craigslist dresser and added a white top! cool and classy but I probably will end up painting instead of staining. one day when i'm fancy and have lots of time, i'll stain so it looks pretty like this.
i LOVE the color of this one! so cheerful :)
 |
| source |
loving the yellow
 |
| source |
 |
| source |
 | ||
| source |
I also like varieties of turquoise/ teal/ aqua/ what-have-you
 |
| not a very good shot but you get the idea.... source |
this one is a good color but I really love how pretty the dresser is
 |
| source |
again, not the best pic, but you get the idea.
 |
| source |
so what do you think? green, yellow, turquoise, other??
I'm hoping to do pale gray walls but we
Thursday, January 12, 2012
sew what?
i got a sewing machine for christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i am sewwwww excited to learn how to sew. [pun intended]
some things i've been eyeing as a first project are....
some things i've been eyeing as a first project are....
an easy-to-sew jersey skirt, although the creator said she's always hesitant to sew w/ knit materials. perhaps harder?
 |
| from HERE |
or perhaps my own version of this pretty pillow with a similar fabric |
| from world market |
a tote bag
 |
| from this tutorial |
the last couple days have been filled with we-just-got-back-home-things like laundry, grocery shopping, bank, oil change, car wash, etc... but as soon as i have a chunk of free time i'm going to hit up the youtube tutorials for beginner seamstresses. VERY BEGINNER. like, how to get my sewing machine out of the box, beginner.
in the meantime, i've been thinking about/ pinteresting ways to reorganize my craft space. i am SEW lucky to have a space in the basement to leave out all my scrapbooking stuff. it's way easier to use when i can just leave it out.
current craft space (messy!)
not sure what's up with my computer - it's making all my pictures look crazy. dark. sometimes with extra neon colors. anywhoooo....
the space works well for my current scrapbooking stuff (this picture was taken mid-project) but i want to make room for sewing too. and i want things to be practical, accessible. so i'll have to use the space slightly more efficiently. plus i love organizing, so it's a win win! here are some cool ideas (some of which are completely unrealistic).
for all the random small stuff (buttons, paper flowers, paperclips, etc...)
or this
or this! magnetic spice containers - sold @ ikea cheaply :)
if this lady can get all that in a closet, i can use my space well.
file scrapbook paper. i love filing stuff (seriously) and have tons of paper - not sure why i didn't think of this earlier! i'm imagining files to fit in the cube shelves or on the bottom shelf of the book shelf.
this would work well for paper too if i can't find the right size files.
peg board! i'm seriously considering this for that ginormous wall.
smaller pegboard might make more sense since we live in a rental temporarily.
easy way to keep ribbon. cheap too!
very fun way to store thread... although i don't have that much thread.
woohoo! this all makes me excited to craft and learn to sew and organize!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Cheap Food!
A recent endeavor of mine is seeing how cheap we can eat while still eating food we like. i.e. I know we could eat for about $5.00/ week if we ate pasta w/ jarred spaghetti sauce every day. But let's face it, that is not going to happen any time soon.
Added challenge: I am usually teaching from 3:30ish until 6:30 or 7:30. We share one car so I go pick Ben up from school when I'm done w/ lessons and then we head back home for dinner. It's 7:30 or 8 by that time... so the other part of this mission is finding food that can be prepped ahead of time i.e. when I have time to make it in the morning. (and I'm definitely not complaining about this at all. we like our schedule and our 1 car. just learning to adjust cooking accordingly.)
Things I'm trying/ learning:
1. I make my menu plan for the week (or for 2 weeks) based off of the Hyvee (grocery store) 3 day specials & get everything else at Walmart. if chicken is on sale, we eat something with chicken. if beef is on sale, beef it is. Usually more than one main meal ingredient is on sale. I plan what I'm making around that & use similar ingredients across the board. This doesn't take as much time/ planning as I thought it might.
2. Walmart brand is usually cheaper - even when I have a coupon for the regular brand. The only things we are particularly choosy about are cereal, orange juice, butter substitute, toilet paper, and probably some others that I can't think of right now. Everything else, we get generic. And all those things, I buy only with coupons.
3. Stack manufacturer coupon with store coupon with sale. Bingo! This doesn't happen very often and I don't spend a ton of time couponing, but when it does, I feel great :)
4. buying fruits and veggies that are in season is cheaper than, for example, trying to get pineapple and watermelon in January in the midwest. it is what it is. 5 frozen fruit for smoothies goes a long way - snack, breakfast, or lunch!
6. yogurt in big container instead of little ones.
7. i am trying to snack on the fruits and veggies that are in season rather than junk food. junk food is SO expensive. seriously $3 for a bag of chips or 33 cents/ lb of bananas.
8. Leftovers. [happy sigh] Ben eats leftovers almost every day for lunch so we don't buy a lot of lunch food (deli meat, bread, etc...)
9. Soups go along way on the budget :)
10. I try to make things that call for ingredients we already have around - like marinaded chicken with oil, vinegar, herbs, or cheese, eggs, etc...
11. i try not to make another trip until we are out of food. seriously. we go through all the pasta before I go back to the store. Some people buy in bulk on the sales. For just the 2 of us, I've found that it makes more sense to only buy the things on my list for that week's meals and eat until it's all gone. If I plan for 5 days of meals, but we end up getting dinner with friends one night and eating a frozen pizza, then we just keep using what we have until it runs out. i think this saves us a lot of money. although i can see how this strategy might change with little ones around. [also i think we waste less food this way]
12. some meals are cheaper than others. and we don't go over in food budget for the month. so sometimes we eat tuna casserole, spaghetti, or pancakes. :)
13. we don't keep a lot of fun drinks around. wah wah. i love fun drinks - juices, teas, coffees, sodas, all of it! Ben likes pop too! but we just don't really buy it. Lemonade on sale in the summer and OJ. other than that, it's just coffee and water around here. And the cheap maxwell house coffee that comes in a big container on sale for $8. Not the 1lb of dunkin donuts coffee that is $10/bag. little changes go a long way.
14. we pay cash for food. as I count it out at the register, I am very aware of how much we are spending on food, and how much we are able to spend on food... and how big of a difference a couple bags of chips and a couple 12-packs of soda makes.
15. Don't eat out. We are minimizing the amount we eat out. i.e. PB & J with an apple on the go when we're rushing out the door to small group instead of fast food. Peanut butter = $3. Jam = $3. Bread =$3. PB&J lasts about 3 months around here... those containers are huge! Bread every other week at most. So, $24 for 3 months of PB & J on thursday nights or $12 minimum for a stop at Jimmy Johns. The math is easy. The discipline is NOT! This is new for us and we are not even close to mastering it... just working on it one week at a time.
not sure why I felt the need to share all this. sometimes it helps me to organize my thoughts by just getting them out on "paper"... or on keyboard. also, i think cutting $50 a month from groceries is $600 a year. and most people in the circles I run with could use the extra $600.
happy shopping and happy SAVINGS!!
-Ren
Mission: eat a variety of meals, try new recipes, bake snacks for students, and still keep it in our budget. our tight budget.
Added challenge: I am usually teaching from 3:30ish until 6:30 or 7:30. We share one car so I go pick Ben up from school when I'm done w/ lessons and then we head back home for dinner. It's 7:30 or 8 by that time... so the other part of this mission is finding food that can be prepped ahead of time i.e. when I have time to make it in the morning. (and I'm definitely not complaining about this at all. we like our schedule and our 1 car. just learning to adjust cooking accordingly.)
Things I'm trying/ learning:
1. I make my menu plan for the week (or for 2 weeks) based off of the Hyvee (grocery store) 3 day specials & get everything else at Walmart. if chicken is on sale, we eat something with chicken. if beef is on sale, beef it is. Usually more than one main meal ingredient is on sale. I plan what I'm making around that & use similar ingredients across the board. This doesn't take as much time/ planning as I thought it might.
2. Walmart brand is usually cheaper - even when I have a coupon for the regular brand. The only things we are particularly choosy about are cereal, orange juice, butter substitute, toilet paper, and probably some others that I can't think of right now. Everything else, we get generic. And all those things, I buy only with coupons.
3. Stack manufacturer coupon with store coupon with sale. Bingo! This doesn't happen very often and I don't spend a ton of time couponing, but when it does, I feel great :)
4. buying fruits and veggies that are in season is cheaper than, for example, trying to get pineapple and watermelon in January in the midwest. it is what it is. 5 frozen fruit for smoothies goes a long way - snack, breakfast, or lunch!
6. yogurt in big container instead of little ones.
7. i am trying to snack on the fruits and veggies that are in season rather than junk food. junk food is SO expensive. seriously $3 for a bag of chips or 33 cents/ lb of bananas.
8. Leftovers. [happy sigh] Ben eats leftovers almost every day for lunch so we don't buy a lot of lunch food (deli meat, bread, etc...)
9. Soups go along way on the budget :)
10. I try to make things that call for ingredients we already have around - like marinaded chicken with oil, vinegar, herbs, or cheese, eggs, etc...
11. i try not to make another trip until we are out of food. seriously. we go through all the pasta before I go back to the store. Some people buy in bulk on the sales. For just the 2 of us, I've found that it makes more sense to only buy the things on my list for that week's meals and eat until it's all gone. If I plan for 5 days of meals, but we end up getting dinner with friends one night and eating a frozen pizza, then we just keep using what we have until it runs out. i think this saves us a lot of money. although i can see how this strategy might change with little ones around. [also i think we waste less food this way]
12. some meals are cheaper than others. and we don't go over in food budget for the month. so sometimes we eat tuna casserole, spaghetti, or pancakes. :)
13. we don't keep a lot of fun drinks around. wah wah. i love fun drinks - juices, teas, coffees, sodas, all of it! Ben likes pop too! but we just don't really buy it. Lemonade on sale in the summer and OJ. other than that, it's just coffee and water around here. And the cheap maxwell house coffee that comes in a big container on sale for $8. Not the 1lb of dunkin donuts coffee that is $10/bag. little changes go a long way.
14. we pay cash for food. as I count it out at the register, I am very aware of how much we are spending on food, and how much we are able to spend on food... and how big of a difference a couple bags of chips and a couple 12-packs of soda makes.
15. Don't eat out. We are minimizing the amount we eat out. i.e. PB & J with an apple on the go when we're rushing out the door to small group instead of fast food. Peanut butter = $3. Jam = $3. Bread =$3. PB&J lasts about 3 months around here... those containers are huge! Bread every other week at most. So, $24 for 3 months of PB & J on thursday nights or $12 minimum for a stop at Jimmy Johns. The math is easy. The discipline is NOT! This is new for us and we are not even close to mastering it... just working on it one week at a time.
not sure why I felt the need to share all this. sometimes it helps me to organize my thoughts by just getting them out on "paper"... or on keyboard. also, i think cutting $50 a month from groceries is $600 a year. and most people in the circles I run with could use the extra $600.
happy shopping and happy SAVINGS!!
-Ren
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Random Link Fun
I am not informed enough to post links to cool things on the internet consistently, but these are some things I've found that I thought might be interesting to others...
Study the Bible more effectively with these tips. (It's geared to preachers but applicable to all us non-preaching-lovers-of-God's-Word too.)
Flying on 9/1//2011 Woman racially profiled
What to do with kids and technology in this generation? (nope- not having a kid yet :) but we were just talking about this topic in our small group) technology and kids
I'm considering ordering this to create a fun, efficient calendar! Plus it's pretty
Pretty Fall Decor #1
Pretty Fall Decor #2
Happy web-surfing! [remember when people called it that? i'm bringing it back] ;)
Study the Bible more effectively with these tips. (It's geared to preachers but applicable to all us non-preaching-lovers-of-God's-Word too.)
Flying on 9/1//2011 Woman racially profiled
What to do with kids and technology in this generation? (nope- not having a kid yet :) but we were just talking about this topic in our small group) technology and kids
I'm considering ordering this to create a fun, efficient calendar! Plus it's pretty
Pretty Fall Decor #1
Pretty Fall Decor #2
Happy web-surfing! [remember when people called it that? i'm bringing it back] ;)
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wednesday.
Last weekend, we got this dining room table. On craigslist....
for $140. We had been looking at similar tables and they were running $300 or so new. And this one is sturdier than some that we looked at. The guy told us it was almost brand new and barely used. Sometimes ads say that and it's NOT true... but this one looks brand new and has almost no scratches :) hip hip hooray for us. I love a good deal... especially a good deal on something we need/want/were already planning to purchase.
So, in lieu of my recent craigslist success, I have been re-inspired to keep an out on craigslist for a good couch. Probably we will just buy one new. Couches are tricky to find used at a good deal- smells, stains, etc... And the good ones go fast. Plus they're a hassle to haul. Anyway, while browsing craigslist, I came across this couch ad:
Date: 2011-09-13, 2:50PM CDT
Reply to: see below [Errors when replying to ads?]
I have a 3 piece ashley retro style couch set.It has couch loveseat and ottoman.Its dirty needs cleaned.It was in a smoking enviroment and there are a few burn holes.They are still comfortable.They are a red fabric material and have chrome legs.Im only asking $20 considering the condition.Structurally still good and once cleaned they will be nice or throw a sheet over.All three pieces $20 Firm.If you can pickup and have cash Call me 402-612-2198 NO TEXTS These are not perfect so dont think you are getting perfect.They are dirty and have some burn holes but structually good.I dont have pictures.You haul I will remove once sold Thanks
What do you think? Should I go for it? ;)
In other random news, I was chit-chatting with my bro on g-chat yesterday afternoon. To catch you up, he just moved to Palo Alto, California to start at Stanford - working towards a phd in engineering physics, more specifically the mini-field of "fluid dynamics." The "quotes" are because I don't really know what it means. :) If you'd like to read me bragging about Brian in a previous blog post, you may click here. [What can I say? I'm a proud older sister... Plus he's probably the closest chance I'll ever have to knowing someone who will likely earn some sort of science prize or invent something really cool.] Perhaps you'll find this conversation amusing.
For the record, I did go on to have a fraction of understanding. but blah blah blah.
for $140. We had been looking at similar tables and they were running $300 or so new. And this one is sturdier than some that we looked at. The guy told us it was almost brand new and barely used. Sometimes ads say that and it's NOT true... but this one looks brand new and has almost no scratches :) hip hip hooray for us. I love a good deal... especially a good deal on something we need/want/were already planning to purchase.
So, in lieu of my recent craigslist success, I have been re-inspired to keep an out on craigslist for a good couch. Probably we will just buy one new. Couches are tricky to find used at a good deal- smells, stains, etc... And the good ones go fast. Plus they're a hassle to haul. Anyway, while browsing craigslist, I came across this couch ad:
Ashley 3 piece set - $20 (Omaha)
Date: 2011-09-13, 2:50PM CDT
Reply to: see below [Errors when replying to ads?]
I have a 3 piece ashley retro style couch set.It has couch loveseat and ottoman.Its dirty needs cleaned.It was in a smoking enviroment and there are a few burn holes.They are still comfortable.They are a red fabric material and have chrome legs.Im only asking $20 considering the condition.Structurally still good and once cleaned they will be nice or throw a sheet over.All three pieces $20 Firm.If you can pickup and have cash Call me 402-612-2198 NO TEXTS These are not perfect so dont think you are getting perfect.They are dirty and have some burn holes but structually good.I dont have pictures.You haul I will remove once sold Thanks
What do you think? Should I go for it? ;)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other random news, I was chit-chatting with my bro on g-chat yesterday afternoon. To catch you up, he just moved to Palo Alto, California to start at Stanford - working towards a phd in engineering physics, more specifically the mini-field of "fluid dynamics." The "quotes" are because I don't really know what it means. :) If you'd like to read me bragging about Brian in a previous blog post, you may click here. [What can I say? I'm a proud older sister... Plus he's probably the closest chance I'll ever have to knowing someone who will likely earn some sort of science prize or invent something really cool.] Perhaps you'll find this conversation amusing.
me: what project did you pick?
brianpierce1010: ahh yes
brianpierce1010: well for projects, my choices were 1) super hydrophobic surfaces research (something w/ navy), 2) flat plate boundary layer transition from laminar to turbulent flow, and 3) application of a new numerical method to Poissons equation. I am pretty sure I am going to go w/ number 3
me: that's what i would have suggested
brianpierce1010: even though 1 probably sounds coolets in terms of the name
the actual work...not so much
me: and in terms of the the navy. so number 3 will be the most interesting?
brianpierce1010: #3 is great though, cause if its successful, it could really save like everyone in the lab lots of simulation time
me: of course! what does that mean? like what will you do?
brianpierce1010: so like, a professor here came up w/ a new method for solving systems and i'll be trying to see if it can be applied to a common problem
u remember systems of equations? from like jr high, where u have maybe 2 equations, and two variables?
like, 2x + 4y = 6
and 3x + 2y = 4
and 3x + 2y = 4
something like that
me: oh yeah i know that. i could totally be an engineer...
brianpierce1010: haha exactly so to summarize, that is a 2x2 system (you don't count the 6 and 4) its all abou twhats on the left hand side of the =
me: right... and you would be working with like 100 x 100 systems?
brianpierce1010: lol, that would be small
maybe like 10000x10000
maybe 1000x1000
something along those lines
and then u solve like 1000 of them
me: LOL i was trying to exaggerate wtih 100
brianpierce1010: and so what computers all do now is use "Gaussian Elimination" which says you can solve it in about n^3 operations, but if n=10000, then n^3 is huge
me: woah. you lost me.
For the record, I did go on to have a fraction of understanding. but blah blah blah.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had the cutest piano student yesterday. She's 5 and smart. From the first lesson, we learn a song by rote using the rhythm-words "pepperoni pizza" to play this rhythm: (kids love this. it mostly is for their finger technique/ hand position development)
So this little tyke is singing at the top of her lungs "PEPPERONI PIZZA- PEPPERONI PIZZA" while she plays her notes. So cute. Almost in tune. :)
Then, she looks over and giggles when she's done. She loves the piano. I wanted to video tape her singing, but decided that'd be creepy. Borderline pedifile since this is only her 3rd lesson with me. Maybe once mom knows for sure I'm not a weirdo. [or maybe the jury's still out on that... ;)]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm going to work on blogging more regularly. I enjoy it. it's like journaling kinda. but public. so kinda not.
ciao!
p.s. did you check out this post about my amazing husband running the Chicago Marathon??? you should.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Master Bedroom
Well hello there. It's been a while. I have to admit, I've missed blog world. I mean, the google reader app just isn't the same. We're all moved in to our new rental house in Lincoln. We just got internet today :) woohoo! Ben and I have been enjoying surfing the web all morning!!! Our house is beginning to feel like "home."
Disclaimer - I have a lot of free time these days, so be prepared. There might be many more posts than you care to read.
So, in some of my free time in between moves, I was playing around with this whole "mood board" thing. Why is it called a mood board? Idk. But I have a slight interior design obsession lately. It's been a long time developing - first trading spaces on TLC (anyone remember that), then HGTV, then the design blogs... Anyway, I'm not super trendy or into spending a lot of money on design, but I do enjoy browsing the world wide web and getting ideas. I'm just gonna stop trying to justify why this is fun for me.
I made this "mood board." I'm visual and was trying to picture a few different items we've purchased and what would look good in our master bedroom. I just did it in Microsoft Word... not very fancy. Then I couldn't figure out how to turn the file (doc) into a picture file (jpeg) so I just took a screen shot of it. And voila.
Here was our blank slate:
and here's the current work in progress
So not exactly what the "mood board" dictated, but hey - we're on a budget. I had fun doing one of those little mood board things and it occurred to me - this is fun even if I wasn't going to try to recreate the final product. I can't believe people get paid to do that (probably they do ones a lot more high tech than mine, but still...) They get paid to make one of those, then somebody else pays for the items and they put it all together. Not a bad deal. How can I get in on that?!
Well, off to do more internet surfing. Is anyone into this pinterest thing? I can't make a decision about it. Adios for now. You can bet I'll be back shortly with all my spare time :)
Disclaimer - I have a lot of free time these days, so be prepared. There might be many more posts than you care to read.
So, in some of my free time in between moves, I was playing around with this whole "mood board" thing. Why is it called a mood board? Idk. But I have a slight interior design obsession lately. It's been a long time developing - first trading spaces on TLC (anyone remember that), then HGTV, then the design blogs... Anyway, I'm not super trendy or into spending a lot of money on design, but I do enjoy browsing the world wide web and getting ideas. I'm just gonna stop trying to justify why this is fun for me.
I made this "mood board." I'm visual and was trying to picture a few different items we've purchased and what would look good in our master bedroom. I just did it in Microsoft Word... not very fancy. Then I couldn't figure out how to turn the file (doc) into a picture file (jpeg) so I just took a screen shot of it. And voila.
Here was our blank slate:
and here's the current work in progress
 |
| Unfortunately, the "neutral" comforter we own is the exact color of the beige/blan walls in the ENTIRE house. We like our landlady. She's willing to let us paint, but she seems hesitant. I'm workin' on it. Hoping to get a white comforter and paint the walls a cheery light blue/grey... we have some time in this house so we'll see. it's not on the priority list. |
 |
| my half of the closet :) we're going without dressers - open shelves built into the closet work just dandily |
 |
| That frame w/ wedding vows was from a family friend; the vase was from a crate and barrel set and the table is from my childhood bedroom :) donated by mi madre. |
So not exactly what the "mood board" dictated, but hey - we're on a budget. I had fun doing one of those little mood board things and it occurred to me - this is fun even if I wasn't going to try to recreate the final product. I can't believe people get paid to do that (probably they do ones a lot more high tech than mine, but still...) They get paid to make one of those, then somebody else pays for the items and they put it all together. Not a bad deal. How can I get in on that?!
Well, off to do more internet surfing. Is anyone into this pinterest thing? I can't make a decision about it. Adios for now. You can bet I'll be back shortly with all my spare time :)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Favorites
A friend of mine made a list of some of her favorite things and I'm stealing that idea :) You can check her favorites out here! But, "these are a few of my favorite things" [side note - name that musical!]
Disclaimer: some of these are actually things and they are definitely luxuries. No necessities listed (except number 8).
1. www.memverse.com My husband's dad introduced us to this website for memorizing scripture. You can add verses as you please, or use their list of commonly memorized verses. You can test your verse memory, practice memorizing verses, or quiz your reference recall. The website has a system for tracking how long it takes you to memorize a verse and continues to "quiz" you on it and gives you new verses according to your pace. Not very high tech, but pretty great for an alternative to flash cards (which I still love!)
2. I love browsing this website for decorating ideas. Although not the easiest to navigate, its fun design ideas for small spaces make up for its inefficient website layout.
3. We live in a typical, old Chicago apartment. Detailed window trimmings, high ceilings, arched doorways, open kitchen/ dining/ living layout, no closets, radiators, window air conditioner, kick-butt fire place... with grimy walls, cracked ceiling paint, and floors that would be dusty even if I scrubbed them daily. The sweep, dry swiffer, wet swiffer routine got old very fast and we invested in a vacuum. I LOVE having a vacuum. We have the shark navigator, which I'd highly recommend for both wood floors and carpet.
4. Sally Hansen Maximum Growth plus quick dry top coat. What a name! (You'd think they could come up with something easier.) I put this on top of every self-given manicure and pedicure. Dries fast and keeps the color looking good for at least week. (It also makes it difficult for me to pick off the nail polish... a habit I'm trying to kick!) It also prevents my nails from breaking so easily. A small and unnecessary thing, but hey... it's something I love to have around.
5. Mary Kay face wash and moisturizer. I am not one to spend a ton of money on cosmetics, hair product, etc... But, I recently was hooked on to using Mary Kay Time Wise facial cleanser and moisturizer. Background - I attempted selling Mary Kay in high school (big mistake for a high school student) and loved using velocity. But, I was poor and it's not cheap so when I ran out, I just started buying stuff at Walmart. No shame in that. Recently, I've been so irritated by the dry skin on my forehead and around my nose. A friend's sister gave me a great deal to just try Mary Kay and I LOVE it. Clearly, I'm a walking advertisement. Worth the investment, especially if you have sensitive skin. The girl I bought mine from is sweet, accomodating, and flexible. She gave me a great price and delivered the stuff to my house before I even wrote her a check :) She has also shipped things to me in the mail, for those of you who are not in the Chicago area. E-mail me [reneecook3@gmail.com] for her contact info.
6. Affordable, yet amazing camera. My dad works for Canon, so the brand was a no-brainer (although, I have to say, Nikon makes a great camera). This camera was a Christmas gift for my sweet husband and I, and my parents got a great deal on the price at Best Buy (it was even cheaper than the Canon company discount). Mom and Dad have the digital EOS rebel (one of the professional line cameras) and the picture quality on ours is comparable... of course, I am no professional photographer. The reaction time is quick. It has all sorts of different settings (with explanations for newbies) and it has a 12x regular zoom! (The digital zoom goes even farther, although it tends to get blurry at that point.) Most small digital cameras have only a 4x or 5x zoom. I highly recommend this camera to anyone in the market :)
7. This recipes website is a great source for new recipes of any kind. Everything I've tried from here is tasty. Plus, you can keep your recipes in a digital file on their website (a pretty common feature on recipe websites) and use a menu planner to help consolidate ingredients you buy at the grocery store. Handy if you're on a budget!
8. Speaking of budget, everyone in the world should read Financial Peace and follow Dave Ramsey's plan for getting out of debt (including student loans and mortgages), staying out of debt, purchasing items with cash, and sticking to a budget. If you take only his budget advance, you will be a happy camper :) Check out his website! The website has lots of free articles, tools for budgeting, and more... enjoy!
9. Universal remote. Ours was $10 at target. Why have separate remotes for the tv, dvd, wii, stereo, and cable when you could just have 1? I was at my parents' house this weekend and my mom and I were trying to watch a movie. They have multiple remotes (tsk tsk tsk) and the dvd remote is so small, she was operating it upside down and had no idea. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure why anyone has more than 1 remote control...
10. Standing kitchenaid mixer. Mine is 5-quart and light yellow! They have a large variety of sizes and colors... the bottom line is I have a coffee cake recipe that calls for you to mix the batter for 25-30 minutes. With a standing mixer, I could go for a run while it's mixing. (Haha that was a ridiculous example - I have never gone for a run while the batter was mixing, but you get the point...) My college roommate snagged hers at a garage sale for less than $50.00. Keep your eye out for one this summer, otherwise, make the investment - totally worth it!
Do I have more favorites? Yep! but this list is long enough.... what are some of your favorites?
Disclaimer: some of these are actually things and they are definitely luxuries. No necessities listed (except number 8).
1. www.memverse.com My husband's dad introduced us to this website for memorizing scripture. You can add verses as you please, or use their list of commonly memorized verses. You can test your verse memory, practice memorizing verses, or quiz your reference recall. The website has a system for tracking how long it takes you to memorize a verse and continues to "quiz" you on it and gives you new verses according to your pace. Not very high tech, but pretty great for an alternative to flash cards (which I still love!)
2. I love browsing this website for decorating ideas. Although not the easiest to navigate, its fun design ideas for small spaces make up for its inefficient website layout.
3. We live in a typical, old Chicago apartment. Detailed window trimmings, high ceilings, arched doorways, open kitchen/ dining/ living layout, no closets, radiators, window air conditioner, kick-butt fire place... with grimy walls, cracked ceiling paint, and floors that would be dusty even if I scrubbed them daily. The sweep, dry swiffer, wet swiffer routine got old very fast and we invested in a vacuum. I LOVE having a vacuum. We have the shark navigator, which I'd highly recommend for both wood floors and carpet.
4. Sally Hansen Maximum Growth plus quick dry top coat. What a name! (You'd think they could come up with something easier.) I put this on top of every self-given manicure and pedicure. Dries fast and keeps the color looking good for at least week. (It also makes it difficult for me to pick off the nail polish... a habit I'm trying to kick!) It also prevents my nails from breaking so easily. A small and unnecessary thing, but hey... it's something I love to have around.
5. Mary Kay face wash and moisturizer. I am not one to spend a ton of money on cosmetics, hair product, etc... But, I recently was hooked on to using Mary Kay Time Wise facial cleanser and moisturizer. Background - I attempted selling Mary Kay in high school (big mistake for a high school student) and loved using velocity. But, I was poor and it's not cheap so when I ran out, I just started buying stuff at Walmart. No shame in that. Recently, I've been so irritated by the dry skin on my forehead and around my nose. A friend's sister gave me a great deal to just try Mary Kay and I LOVE it. Clearly, I'm a walking advertisement. Worth the investment, especially if you have sensitive skin. The girl I bought mine from is sweet, accomodating, and flexible. She gave me a great price and delivered the stuff to my house before I even wrote her a check :) She has also shipped things to me in the mail, for those of you who are not in the Chicago area. E-mail me [reneecook3@gmail.com] for her contact info.
6. Affordable, yet amazing camera. My dad works for Canon, so the brand was a no-brainer (although, I have to say, Nikon makes a great camera). This camera was a Christmas gift for my sweet husband and I, and my parents got a great deal on the price at Best Buy (it was even cheaper than the Canon company discount). Mom and Dad have the digital EOS rebel (one of the professional line cameras) and the picture quality on ours is comparable... of course, I am no professional photographer. The reaction time is quick. It has all sorts of different settings (with explanations for newbies) and it has a 12x regular zoom! (The digital zoom goes even farther, although it tends to get blurry at that point.) Most small digital cameras have only a 4x or 5x zoom. I highly recommend this camera to anyone in the market :)
7. This recipes website is a great source for new recipes of any kind. Everything I've tried from here is tasty. Plus, you can keep your recipes in a digital file on their website (a pretty common feature on recipe websites) and use a menu planner to help consolidate ingredients you buy at the grocery store. Handy if you're on a budget!
8. Speaking of budget, everyone in the world should read Financial Peace and follow Dave Ramsey's plan for getting out of debt (including student loans and mortgages), staying out of debt, purchasing items with cash, and sticking to a budget. If you take only his budget advance, you will be a happy camper :) Check out his website! The website has lots of free articles, tools for budgeting, and more... enjoy!
9. Universal remote. Ours was $10 at target. Why have separate remotes for the tv, dvd, wii, stereo, and cable when you could just have 1? I was at my parents' house this weekend and my mom and I were trying to watch a movie. They have multiple remotes (tsk tsk tsk) and the dvd remote is so small, she was operating it upside down and had no idea. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure why anyone has more than 1 remote control...
10. Standing kitchenaid mixer. Mine is 5-quart and light yellow! They have a large variety of sizes and colors... the bottom line is I have a coffee cake recipe that calls for you to mix the batter for 25-30 minutes. With a standing mixer, I could go for a run while it's mixing. (Haha that was a ridiculous example - I have never gone for a run while the batter was mixing, but you get the point...) My college roommate snagged hers at a garage sale for less than $50.00. Keep your eye out for one this summer, otherwise, make the investment - totally worth it!
Do I have more favorites? Yep! but this list is long enough.... what are some of your favorites?
Friday, November 26, 2010
Stolen Organizing Ideas
I like things to be organized. I like finding new ideas for ways to organize things and I enjoy cleaning out the junk drawers, closets, filing cabinets, etc. (Of course, the ultimate goal is to not have to clean them out because they're already organized...) Anyway, here is an idea for keeping track of all the random recipes, centerpieces, and decorating ideas you find in magazines.
Enjoy!
-Ren
Enjoy!
-Ren
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)